Teresa Bitler - Great Escapes: Arizona

For my husband, Jerry

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please contact Editor,
The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, Vermont 05091, or e-mail .

Copyright 2008 by Teresa Bitler

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

ISBN 978-0-88150-741-6

Maps by Paul Woodward, 2008 The Countryman Press

Book design by Bodenweber Design

Text composition by Chelsea Cloeter

Cover and interior photos by the author unless otherwise specified

Published by The Countryman Press

P.O. Box 748

Woodstock, Vermont 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

500 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10110

Printed in the United States of America

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This book wouldnt be possible without the help of many people. First, thanks to everyone who suggested things to do and places to go, to everyone who patiently answered my questions, and to everyone who provided me with information. A special thanks to the Tucson, Scottsdale, and Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureaus for suggesting itineraries, accommodations, and restaurants to consider, and for putting me into contact with individuals and companies that might provide additional information. Thanks to the Navajo Nation for the same.

I spent a lot of time on the road while working on this project, and at times had to be away from home. Thanks to all those who made those trips a little more comfortable, especially the Wigwam Resort, the El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort, and the Cole family.

Thanks also to my husband, Jerry, and my daughters Kelly and Kim, for their patience and support; to Kori for serving as an informal consultant on some of the chapters; to my family and friends for encouragement; and finally to Robyn, who always believed this day would come even when I wasnt so sure it would.

Arizona is a land of sharp contrasts. To the south, a dry carpet of cactus and brush interrupted only by blue-purple mountains rising in the distance. In the northeast, a meadow of waving grass parted by a trickling stream. In the mountains, the roll of thunder, the scent of pine, the coolness of an afternoon storm. You find Native Americans living in hogans, cowboys in range-worn blue jeans, and aging hippie spiritualists. You can drive through tin-roofed ghost towns of less than a dozen inhabitants on your way to Phoenix, the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States.

With such diversity, there is never a shortage of adventures. In Arizona, you can discover the secrets of a living, wet cave at Kartchner Caverns. Raft the white-water rapids of the pitching Colorado River through the seventh natural wonder of the world, the Grand Canyon. Float a mile above the Sonoran desert in a hot-air balloon or keep your feet on the ground with an early morning hike through the worlds largest city park, South Mountain Park. Water ski on the second largest man-made lake in the United States, Lake Powell. Horseback ride through the red rocks of Sedona. Or, visit any number of excellent museums, including the world famous Heard Museum, with its collections of Native American paintings, jewelry, sculptures, basketry, pottery, and beadwork.

Arizona has a long history to explore, beginning with the ancient Indians that populated the region and left behind structures that still stand. Visit Montezuma Castle, Tuzigoot National Monument, and Wupatki National Monument, to name a few. Spend time learning about the states Spanish roots at Mission San Xavier del Bac and at Tubac, the first European settlement in Arizona. When Mexico won its independence in 1821, southern Arizona came under Mexican rule. Experience the regions Mexican heritage in this region along the border. As mining and Manifest Destiny brought American settlers to the area, towns like Bisbee, Wickenburg, and Jerome sprang to life. Some died when the mines closed. Others thrive as art communities. Tour a mine or find a ghost town as you explore the states mining history.

Of course, Arizona is known as a Western state. Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Bucky ONeil, Geronimo, and Cochise all played a role in creating the colorful legends of the period. Visit the lands that they once called home. Walk the streets of Tombstone or sit tall in the saddle on a horseback ride through the desert.

When I set out to write this book, I tried to list anything and everything I could that made this state a great place to visit. I have stacks of colored note cards detailing unique festivals and points of interest, pages of notes printed from the Internet, and a haphazard pile of travel brochures and pamphlets on the floor next to my desk. I am now convinced it would take a lifetime or two to actually do everything there is to do here, but I also learned a valuable lesson while writing this book. Ive lived most of my life in this state but put off visiting this place or doing that because there always seemed to be another day. As I learned, there isnt always another day. Take advantage of the time and opportunities you have now to enrich your life. Even though I have finished the research for this book, I wont end the journey here.

Read, enjoy, and then go out and do.

In 1869, nine men climbed into four boats and headed down the Green River from Green River, Wyoming, under the leadership of one-armed Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell. The war-hero-turned-professor-of-geology planned to guide them to the confluence of the Green and Grand Rivers and on to the Colorado River, a waterway colored red by sediment and described by many at the time as too thick to drink and too thin to plow. Even though it sounds like a muddy mess, the river was far from tame. Rapids made the men fear for their lives, and at Separation Canyon, three of his men tried to persuade Powell to abandon the trip. Unable to do so, the three left the expedition, only to be killed by local Indians. Powell and his remaining men continued the journey, two days later reaching the mouth of the Virgin River under what is today Lake Mead. One of Powells men, Andy Hall, said of the journey, after the fact (of course), We had the greatest ride that was ever got.

You dont have to ride the rapids like Powell and his men to appreciate one of the seven natural wonders of the world. You can take to the air, stay on the rim, or hike to the bottom. One thing is certain: You could spend your life exploring all that the canyon has to offer.

AIR

I made a classic mistake when I last visited the Grand Canyon: I under-planned. I drove to the South Rim to take pictures, thinking all along that maybe, just maybe, I wanted to take a helicopter ride. I went back and forth with the pros and cons and, finally, resolved that I was going to do it! I drove to the airport, pulled into the parking lot of the first helicopter company I saw, and couldnt find a parking spot. On to the next. More of the same. When I walked into the third company, I was finally able to get close enough to the counter to ask about a flight.